Doctor J - Julius Erving

The "Doc" was the star of the American Basketball Association (ABA) basketball league before the 70s merge with the NBA. The ABA was second in terms of market to the NBA since its teams were laid in non-major cities. The big exception being the NY Nets (now NJ Net and *maybe* relocated in the near future to the 2.5 million people Brooklyn county of NY). The ABA was much more oriented to show-time basketball and had an aura of quality fun hoops. The blue-red-white ball we can buy in sports shops WAS THE OFFICIAL ABA game ball. The 3pt line existed way before the NBA introduced it (in 1979, and Celtic Chris Ford was the 1st to hit one).

The 1st slam dunk championship was organized by the ABA. Doc won it with a foul line one-hander defeating David Thompson.

After the merge, Doc moved from the Nets to the 76ers teaming up with Bobby Jones, Mo Cheeks, and Darryl Dawkins. A championship would elude them until 1983 when Moses Malone came aboard. A single defeat in the playoffs en route to the title.

The impact of Doctor J cannot be measured in championships. He has a creator, way ahead of his time. He was an awesome athlete, and enormous body control, and huge hands that permitted him to not only throw down thunderous jams (ask Michael Cooper), but also to score on very high difficult finger rolls and acrobatic layups.

Doctor left the game in 1987, at age 37 and he could still play. He is regarded as a friendly, charismatic and 100% professional player. There is some footage of him praticing driblling while seated on a bench during a game, from one one hand to the other, beneath the seat.

With the sound of Whitney Houston, this is a marvelous video of Docs legacy:




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